Shadow Investigations Ltd.

Shadow Investigations Ltd. is a full-service private investigation agency based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that has operated in the province since 1990. The firm was established by Janet and Ray Helm, combining Janet's background as a Canada Revenue Agency tax auditor with Ray's expertise in surveillance technology. It is licensed under British Columbia's Security Services Act and describes itself as a premier investigation firm serving individuals, families, and businesses across Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and the interior of British Columbia. The agency offers a broad range of investigative services. For private clients, these include infidelity and cheating-spouse investigations, child custody and family-law matters, skip tracing to locate individuals, and background checks. For corporate clients, Shadow Investigations handles employee misconduct, fraud and theft detection, insurance disability fraud, due diligence, business intelligence, litigation support, open-source intelligence (OSINT), undercover operations, and mystery shopping or integrity audits. The firm emphasizes that its evidence is professionally documented and court-admissible, suitable for employment disputes, civil litigation, and insurance claims. Shadow Investigations operates offices in Vancouver, Surrey, and Kelowna, allowing it to cover the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley, and the BC Interior. It has been BBB A+ accredited since 1999, was rated #1 in Vancouver by The Best Vancouver in 2024, and received the 2025 Consumer Choice Award. The company is led by Janet and Nathan Helm, who together bring over 35 years of investigative experience. It offers free consultations and publishes indicative surveillance pricing of approximately $500 for a half-day and $1,000 for a full day within the Lower Mainland. Janet E. Helm, CCPI, CPA, CGA, has been a licensed private investigator in British Columbia since 1993 and co-manages the firm. She has been an active member of the Professional Investigator's Association of BC (PIABC) since 1995 and has served as its president. She helped create the first introductory private investigation course at Douglas College in 1998 and was instrumental in developing the Certified Canadian Professional Investigators designation, for which she received the inaugural Taras Hryb Education Builder's Award. She is also a member of ASIS, the World Association of Detectives (WAD), and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

Shadow Investigations Ltd. was established in 1990 by Janet and Ray Helm. Janet Helm had worked as a tax auditor with the Canada Revenue Agency (then Revenue Canada) in the 1980s, while Ray Helm brought expertise in cutting-edge surveillance solutions. Their combined backgrounds in financial investigation and surveillance technology led to the formation of the agency. Initially, Janet specialized in financial investigations, locates, and related work. Janet Helm has been a licensed private investigator in British Columbia since 1993. She became an active member of the Professional Investigator's Association of BC (PIABC) in 1995 and later served as its president. In 1998, her leadership led to the creation of the first introductory private investigation course offered at Douglas College. She was also instrumental in developing the Certified Canadian Professional Investigators (CCPI) designation and was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Taras Hryb Education Builder's Award. The firm has been BBB A+ accredited since 1999. Over more than three decades, Shadow Investigations has assisted thousands of clients across personal and professional matters, expanding its services from financial investigations and locates to a comprehensive suite that includes surveillance, OSINT, background checks, skip tracing, polygraph testing, digital forensics, undercover operations, corporate and workplace investigations, insurance fraud investigations, due diligence, business intelligence, and litigation support. The agency operates offices in Vancouver, Surrey, and Kelowna, serving all of British Columbia including the Fraser Valley and the Interior. It is licensed under BC's Security Services Act. In 2024, it was rated #1 in Vancouver by The Best Vancouver, and in 2025 it received the Consumer Choice Award. The company is currently led by Janet and Nathan Helm, who together have over 35 years of investigative experience.

• 2025

  Receives the Consumer Choice Award.

• 2024

  Rated #1 in Vancouver by The Best Vancouver.

• 1999

  Shadow Investigations becomes BBB A+ accredited.

• 1998

  First introductory private investigation course created at Douglas College through Janet Helm's leadership.

• 1995

  Janet Helm becomes an active member of the Professional Investigator's Association of BC (PIABC).

• 1993

  Janet Helm becomes a licensed private investigator in British Columbia.

• 1990

  Shadow Investigations Ltd. founded by Janet and Ray Helm in British Columbia.

Premier full-service private investigation firm emphasizing professionalism, court-admissible evidence, and over 30 years of experience serving individuals and businesses across British Columbia.

• Surveillance

  Covert surveillance services priced at approximately $500 for a half-day or $1,000 for a full day within the Lower Mainland.

• Infidelity Investigations

  Obtaining concrete evidence of an affair for clients.

• Child Custody Investigations

  Investigations supporting family-law and child custody matters.

• Skip Tracing

  Locating individuals who have moved or are evading contact.

• Background Checks

  Pre-employment and due-diligence background screening.

• OSINT

  Open-source intelligence gathering for corporate and private clients.

• Polygraph Testing

  Polygraph examinations as part of investigative services.

• Digital Forensics

  Digital forensic analysis for investigations.

• Undercover Operations

  Covert operations for corporate and workplace investigations.

• Corporate & Workplace Investigations

  Investigating employee misconduct, fraud, theft, policy violations, harassment, discrimination, and non-compliance.

• Insurance Fraud Investigations

  Investigations into insurance disability fraud and related claims.

• Due Diligence & Business Intelligence

  Corporate due diligence and business intelligence services.

• Litigation Support

  Investigative support for civil litigation and employment disputes.

• Mystery Shopping / Integrity Audits

  Integrity audits and mystery shopping for businesses.

1. 1Private Investigator & Detective Agency - Vancouver, BC | Shadow Investigationsshadowinvestigationsltd.ca
2. 2About - Shadow Investigationsshadowinvestigationsltd.ca
3. 3Our Founder - Shadow Investigationsshadowinvestigationsltd.ca
4. 4Corporate & Workplace Investigations - Vancouver, BC | Shadow Investigationsshadowinvestigationsltd.ca
5. 5Shadow Investigations Ltd. - Wikidatawikidata.org